The Secrets of Searching and Getting School Jobs Explained

The Secrets of Searching and Getting School Jobs Explained

Any teacher who has spent time looking for work will know that job hunting is a job in itself. Sifting through vacancies to find suitable teaching positions does take time and patience. To address this issue, The Educator has created a facility where teachers can personalise their job search specifically to their requirements, meaning less time needed to find the right role.

Aside from our jobs listings, this article also explains the best avenues to take when looking for school jobs, and where and when to look to keep you up to date with vacancies.

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Start your job search with The Educator

We also have a wide choice of school vacancies for support staff, including school secretaries, managers and facilities managers. For every school role, The Educator can help you find the job that is right for you.

To make the process as easy and effective as possible, teachers can tailor their job search by location, phase, role, subject specialism, and contract type. So, whether you are a primary or secondary teacher, looking for your next position, or an NQT eager to launch your teaching career, we can help. If you are committed to a particular area and looking for school jobs in London or teaching jobs in Essex, then the search can be narrowed down to exactly those areas.

We post detailed job descriptions to help you decide if the role is right for you, so you can apply for school jobs with confidence in knowing your skills and experience are the right match.

We also have a wide choice of school vacancies for support staff, including school secretaries, managers and facilities managers. For every school role, The Educator can help you find the job that is right for you.

By signing up to receive tailored job alerts, you can receive notifications on new vacancies as they become available, giving you a head-start in your job search and career goals.

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Local Education Authority websites (LEAs)

If you have your sights set on a few select schools, then make sure to regularly check out the schools’ websites for new vacancies. Not every school advertises jobs on their website, but for those that do, a quick scan will keep you updated.

LEA websites are an essential tool for finding school jobs. Ensure you stay on top of current vacancies by regularly checking the jobs area of the LEA you want to work within. The Direct Gov website has a listing of LEAs based in England by region, linked to under the ‘Useful links’ section below.

Some LEAs operate talent pools, which schools can use for recruiting teachers. The application process will depend on the individual LEA, so check the LEA website you are interested in for criteria and application deadlines. We have included links to some of the talent pools available, see the ‘Useful links’ section for further details.

Schools typically focus their recruitment drive during spring, which can peak around Easter, so be prepared to concentrate your job hunt at the same time. Of course, last minute vacancies will always crop up, as schools find themselves looking to fill positions unexpectedly and with short notice, so if you are searching for temporary work or are available at short notice, it could be a case of good timing and being in the right place at the right time.

To ensure you can respond promptly to vacancies with a quick turnaround time, have the essentials of your application and cover letter already crafted and ready to go. You will have to tailor your application to each job and school you are applying, drawing on the personal and job specification, but you can save time on the process by being prepared, so that you are not starting from scratch with each application.

While it may be possible to save time on completing applications by having the fundamentals in place, don’t forget that each application you make has to be unique. Approach every application by addressing the criteria set out in the job post so your application is relevant and targeted.

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Writing an effective CV

Not every application calls for a CV, but for those that do, make a good impression with your application by ensuring your CV is up to date, formatted correctly and relevant to the school job you are applying for.

Formatting your CV so that it looks professional will give your application an overall polished look. While there is no one typeface that suits all, comic sans is generally to be avoided. Use either font size 11 or 12, and no smaller than 11. Headings should be used to highlight the various sections of your CV with a clear and logical flow. In most circumstances CVs should be no longer than 2 pages, although if you are applying for management positions with years of experience behind you, then a 3-page CV may be warranted.

CV templates, available by simply using search terms such as ‘teacher CV template’, can give you a suggested structure which you can adapt and personalise as needed. Remember to also focus your personal statement on the requirements of the job in your CV.

If you are submitting an application form, this will be accompanied with a cover letter. Approach completing your application form as you would your CV, by making it comprehensive, professional and relevant. Ensure you complete all sections of the form, accounting for any gaps in your teaching career or otherwise. Ideally, if you can, have someone else read your application before you send it off, another set of eyes can spot errors that might have escaped your attention.

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Useful links

These links provide access to supporting resources and provide additional information relevant to job hunting. The deadlines for talent pool applications will vary according to LA, details of which can be found on the respective websites. We have included links to a handful of teacher talent pools, but of course there are others available.

We welcome our reader’s comments so please feel free to express your views and opinions on our blogs. We believe in sharing the knowledge and encourage everyone to share with their friends and colleagues so they can also benefit from our writer’s knowledge.

Do you have an idea, view, opinion or suggestion which could benefit others in the education sector? Would you like to share, please feel free to send toeditorial@theeducator.com

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If you are connected with education sector or would like to express your views and opinions on something that requires policy makers’ attention, please feel free to send your comments toeditorial@theeducator.com

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About The Author

Lorraine has been writing professionally for 12 years across a range of industries, from education to fashion and cosmetics to health and well-being, producing content that meets clients’ needs within brief and with a timely turnaround. She brings professionalism, flexibility and a communicative approach to every job she takes on, giving a unique, well-researched and targeted content. She also teaches English as a foreign language (EFL) and holds a TEFL qualification. Her experience includes teaching children and adults at all levels.